Side Dishes to be Thankful For

Locals who flock to Blue Sky Organic Farm for its CSA program know the beauty and taste of fresh produce. Either you received on Tuesday (or will receive this weekend) bags overflowing with cauliflower, parsley, white turnips, and more. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving; it’s time to be thankful for a bountiful year but also time to cook!

Turkey is often a mainstay, but what about sides? Are you looking for something more nutritious than the basic mashed potatoes and green been casserole? Read on for some healthy, delicious alternatives to the usual fare (featuring items from your very own CSA bag).

For this recipe, use your white turnips and parsley!
From The Produce Bible by Leanne Kitchen:
Spiced Turnips (4 servings)

Score a cross in the top of each tomato, plunge into boiling water for 20 seconds, transfer to a bowl of iced water to cool, and then peel the skin and discard. Cut the tomatoes widthwise into 5/8-inch slices, then gently squeeze out most of the juice and seeds.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and fry the onion for 5 to 6 minutes or until soft. Stir in the coriander and paprika, cook for 1 minute, then add the tomato, turnips, sugar and 1/3 cup hot water. Season well. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until the turnips are tender.

Meanwhile, strip the Swiss chard leaves off the stalks. Rinse the leaves under cold water and shake off the excess.

Stir the parsley and Swiss chard into the pan, check the seasoning and cook, covered for 4 minutes or until the Swiss chard is wilted. Serve hot.

Or try this one! For this recipe, use your cauliflower and parsley.
From Fast, Fresh & Green by Susie Middleton:
Quick-Roasted Cauliflower with Orange-Olive Dressing (3 servings)

Preheat the oven to 475. Line a large (18x13x1) heavy-duty rimmed sheet pan with a piece of parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower thoroughly with the olive oil and salt. Spread the florets out on the sheet pan in one layer, flat side down. Scrape out any salt and oil remaining in the mixing bowl over the cauliflower. Roast until the bottoms are browned and the tops and edges are starting to brown, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Meanwhile, make the Orange-Olive Dressing: In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil and the garlic over medium-low heat. Simmer until the garlic is very fragrant, but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and add the red pepper flakes, orange zest, and olives. Stir well and remove the pan from the heat. Add the orange juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the parsley. Stir well.

Using tongs, transfer the roasted cauliflower to a medium mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over the cauliflower, scraping all of it out of the saucepan, and mix thoroughly but gently. Transfer to a serving dish. Serve warm or at room temperature.